Your KitKat Fix!

Okay, it was KitKats! No, it's not KitKat soda. It's just a few KitKats in a can. We got a kick out of it!
There is a drink called "Pocari Sweat" here. Yep, sweat water. It's like a vitamin-enhanced water, and it's actually pretty good. Does anyone want to drink Sweat? We can bring some back!

Vending Machine Love

One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell?

Cash was tagged by Ellie (aka the future Mrs. Ellison Ellis)

Ten Facts about Cash:
1.) Cash loves to help in the kitchen. He especially loves to suck on the salt shaker (no, I don't let him!) and play with the measuring spoons. Here he is helping me make bread:


2.) Cash loves dogs but doesn't like them up close. He loves to see them from a distance but hates petting them. Strange.

3.) Cash is very precise about his morning ritual. He wakes up at 5:50 am, has a banana, and then watches his Animal Adventures DVD. Don't freak out, Mom--it's a short video of classical music over a tour of the San Diego Zoo. He loves it, especially the butterfly area. If we try to alter the routine, he will point to his banana and the DVD.

4.) This boy loves to be outside. Here he is helping me in the garden.


5.) Cash loves music, especially "Little Bunny Foo Foo" and "One Little Finger". He is a sucker for Leann Rimes.

6.) Cash loves to read. His favorite books are "Baby Faces" from Grandma Joan and "Baby Sports" from Grandma Betty. They are tiny books featuring pictures of babies.


7.) This is funny, but Cash loves to lay down. He will be playing and then just lay down out of nowhere and continue playing.

8.) Cash has six teeth and is getting another molar and tooth as we speak.

9.) Cash loves pebbles. He will get a rock from our yard and hold it in his hand the whole time he is outside. I think he takes after my dad this way--a relaxation thing.

10.) He also loves girls! He will pat them on the back and hug them. Here he is giving a "love pebble" to another baby he met in Kyoto. He followed this girl down the pathway for about fifty yards. She rebuffed him, poor guy.


Cash tags: Shayla, Isaiah, Asher, Ava, and Graysen. Share 10 Facts!

Our Trip to Kyoto

We have a week off, so this week we decided to go to Kyoto for a few days. Our trip started on Wednesday, with an early morning, 4 hour ferry ride and an hour train ride to get to the Kyoto station. The station has 15 floors, so we got lost right away! We finally found our hotel after a while and decided to walk to Nijo-jo, a famous castle. It looked close on the map but ended up being a forty-minute walk.

Here we are in front of Nijo-jo. It's famous for it's nightingale floors, which are floors designed to squeak at every step to reveal any sneaking intruders upon the castle. Cash was light enough that the floors didn't squeak as he ran around the castle, so you're doomed if someone sics a baby assassin on you!

On Thursday, we headed to Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple. This place was packed with tourists, most of them from different European countries. The temple is covered in gold leaf and is in the middle of a beautiful landscape.

From there, we walked to Ryoan-ji, which is famous for its Zen rock garden. Cash tries to find enlightenment while sitting in a wet diaper--kind of tricky.

After that, we headed up Teacup Lane, which is a steep climb to Kiyomizudera. The lane is famous for making and selling special pottery. It's near to Gion, a famous district known for geisha teahouses. We spotted some elusive geisha on their way there.

This is Kyomizudera, a famous temple that has an amazing view of the city.

The crowd lines up for the healing waters that flow from the temple's waterfall.

Fox gets a taste of the healing water.

What makes this my favorite spot: Ice cream! I got a kinako (toasted soybean) flavor cone that was served with an edible cinnamon spoon. So yummy! The other flavors are black sesame, green tea, vanilla, and cherry blossom.

Our last spot was Ryozen Kannon, such a beautiful spot that the guidebooks don't mention often. It is a memorial to all of the Japanese soldiers who died in World War 2.

On Friday, we left Kyoto to explore Kobe and then got home last night. Cash did so great on the long ferry ride, thanks to the children's playroom they had. Here we are on the ferry as it nears the Akashi-ohashi bride, the longest suspension bridge in Japan.

We had a great time and were so happy to get off of our small island for a while. Big cities are so much fun after living so long in a rural area.

Manno Park

On Monday, we went to Manno Park, a huge park about fifteen minutes from our house. It was so big and beautiful! We don't see a ton of wide open space here, so it was nice. The park has fountains, huge rolling slides, a field where you can rent earth balls, gardens and a jumping pod. Our camera died about fifteen minutes after we got there, but here are some shots we were able to catch.
The jumping pod--not just for kids!

Fox and Cash jumping:

Enjoying the sun--it was the first day Cash was able to wear shorts this year!

The rolling slides from a distance. I didn't go on them, so as not to dislodge the fetus, but Fox did...and well, let's just say Fox doesn't have a lot of rear padding so he was in a bit of pain!

Birds and Bruises

On Sunday, we went to the castle to catch the last of the flower viewing. Cash was so excited to chase the pigeons! He was grabbing them, which could not have been too sanitary. In his excitement, he tripped while walking up a slope and gashed his head on a stone block. Within seconds, there was blood everywhere, although it was a small cut. We rushed him to the ER, where he was treated with...a bandaid. It was pretty scary to see so much blood from such a little head. I'm so glad he didn't need stitches! Cash has been quite a champ about it, although he decided he wasn't going to keep his band-aid on longer than he had to.
Playing with birds before his bump:


Cash's first bad bruise. If he has inherited his mama's tendency to catch falls with your face, I'm sure this is probably the first of many.

Hanami

Last week was hanami, or flower viewing, time. All throughout the week, families would come to picnic under the blossoming trees surrounding the castle. Vendors set up shop under the trees to sell candied apples, balloons, ice cream, and various meats on a stick. Spotlights were put up and lanterns strung to showcase the blooms at night. We had heavy rain yesterday, so I'm sure not many blossoms survived. Luckily, we were able to go to the castle a few times last week to see the beautiful trees.